Have you ever had someone under your delegated authority, whether you placed them there or another did, who often said the right thing in the wrong way at just the wrong time, or perhaps the wrong thing at the right time?
Have you ever had someone in delegated authority over you who often said pretty much the right thing in the wrong way.. like for much too long a time (during a 30 minute offering to gain more than normal by applying pressure on people [a mark of a false teacher. 2 Peter 2:1-3])? Ever see em do that one on one with individuals for what they claimed is a good cause?
Man, sometimes it's kinda hard to know what to do next!
I voted with my feet.. right out the nearest door.
Thinkin' about Daniel and King David who didn't do that, but had the wisdom to say the right things, in just the right way, at exactly the right time. Ask God for the wisdom to hold your tongue until it's right. Ask Him for the tact, timing and tone -- the right words that edify, help and comfort people. Share fitting verses and passages. Be more like a well trained sharpshooter than a hasty shot-gunner so to speak.
Ministry in word or in deed is learned in serving faithfully as they did. Choose the wise Leader (Jesus Christ), wise close friends, and wise under-leaders too. Spend time with them.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. .
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man's hands will return to him.
"As for the head of those who surround me, may the mischief of their lips cover them.
Wise men store up knowledge, but with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back, But the lips of the wise will protect them.
A fool's lips bring strife, And his mouth calls for blows. A fool's mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles.
With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
"How long will you torment me and crush me with words?
He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has violated his covenant. His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows And their tongue a sharp sword.
Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword they aimed bitter speech as their arrow, To shoot from concealment at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear.
They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.
By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.
The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!
Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding keeps silent. He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.
But certain worthless men said, "How can this one deliver us?" And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.
When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him.
Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time.
"But the Lord is in His holy temple Let all the earth be silent before Him."
Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near, For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests.
This you know, my beloved brethren But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
But Jesus kept silent And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God."
But He kept silent and did not answer Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.
But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.
And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing.
Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.
"You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. .
There is nothing reliable in what they say; Their inward part is destruction itself Their throat is an open grave; They flatter with their tongue.
O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; .
After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand. "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." Then the disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?" .
After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. ["If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."] .
"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.
